Influenza A virus infection of healthy piglets in an abattoir in Brazil: animal-human interface and risk for interspecies transmission

Asymptomatic influenza virus infections in pigs are frequent and the lack of measures for controlling viral spread facilitates the circulation of different virus strains between pigs. The goal of this study was to demonstrate the circulation of influenza A virus strains among asymptomatic piglets in an abattoir in Brazil and discuss the potential public health impacts. Tracheal samples (n = 330) were collected from asymptomatic animals by a veterinarian that also performed visual lung tissue examinations. No slaughtered animals presented with any noticeable macroscopic signs of influenza infection following examination of lung tissues. Samples were then analysed by reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction that resulted in the identification of 30 (9%) influenza A positive samples. The presence of asymptomatic pig infections suggested that these animals could facilitate virus dissemination and act as a source of infection for the herd, thereby enabling the emergence of influenza outbreaks associated with significant economic losses. Furthermore, the continuous exposure of the farm and abattoir workers to the virus increases the risk for interspecies transmission. Monitoring measures of swine influenza virus infections and vaccination and monitoring of employees for influenza infection should also be considered. In addition regulatory agencies should consider the public health ramifications regarding the potential zoonotic viral transmission between humans and pigs.

Current status of herpesvirus identification in the oral cavity of HIV-infected children

INTRODUCTION: Some viruses of the Herpesviridae family are frequently the etiologic agents of oral lesions associated with HIV. The aim of this study was to identify the presence of herpes simplex virus types 1 and 2 (HSV-1, HSV-2), Varicella Zoster virus (VZV), Epstein-Barr virus (EBV), human cytomegalovirus (HCMV), human herpesvirus type 6, type 7 and type 8 (HHV-6, HHV-7 and HHV-8) in the oral cavity of HIV-infected children/adolescents and verify the association between viral subtypes and clinical factors. METHODS: The cells of oral mucosa were collected from 50 HIV infected children/adolescents, 3-13 years old (mean age 8.66). The majority (66%) of selected were girls, and they were all outpatients at the pediatric AIDS clinic of a public hospital in Rio de Janeiro. Nested-PCR was used to identify the viral types. RESULTS: Absence of immunosuppression was observed in 66% of the children. Highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART) was used by 72.1% of selected and moderate viral load was observed in 56% of the children/adolescents. Viral types were found in 86% of the children and the subtypes were: HSV-1 (4%), HSV-2 (2%), VZV (4%), EBV (0%), HCMV (24%), HHV6 (18%), HHV-7 (68%), HHV8 (0%). CONCLUSIONS: The use of HAART has helped to reduce oral lesions, especially with herpes virus infections. The health professionals who work with these patients should be aware of such lesions because of their predictive value and the herpes virus can be found circulating in the oral cavity without causing lesions.

Incidência de gastrenterite infantil de etiologia viral em Juiz de Fora, Minas Gerais, no período de janeiro a dezembro de 1998 / Incidence of viral infantile gastroenteritis in Juiz de Fora, Minas Gerais, from January to December de 1998

A doença diarréia é uma das principais causas de morte entre crianças, particularmente em países em desenvolvimento. Entre os agentes infecciosos que causam diarréia (vírus, bactérias, parasitos, toxinas), os rotavírus säo responsáveis pela maioria dos casos. Eles infectam praticamente todas as crianças nos primeiros 3-5 anos de vida, tanto em países desenvolvidos como naqueles em desenvolvimento. No mundo todo, os ratavírus säo associados com cerca de 125 milhöes de episódios de diarréia e, aproximadamente, um milhäo de mortes anualmente, particularmente em áreas tropicais. Os adenovírus entéricos säo o segundo agente viral mais comumente associado à diarréia. Contudo, a epidemiologia destes agentes ainda näo foi bem estabelecida. A presença de rotavírus e adenovírus foi investigada entre crianças de Juiz de Fora (Minas Gerais), no período de janeiro a dezembro de 1998. Um total de 656 amostras fecais, de crianças hospitalizadas ou näo-hospitalizadas, foi testado para a presença de RNA de rotavírus por PAGE, e 41 amostras foram analisadas para a presença de adenovírus por EIARA. Foram detectados rotavírus em 11,9 por cento das crianças, sendo a maioria destas hospitalizadas. As infecçöes por rotavírus foram observadas preferencialmente entre criança de 6-24 meses de idade. A maior incidência da infecçäo foi observada nos meses de junho e julho, que säo os meses mais secos e frios do ano na regiäo de estudo. A ocorrência de adenovírus foi observada em menor frequência (5,3 por cento). Diferentemente da infecçäo por rotavírus, nenhum padräo de sazonalidade foi observado